The present invention relates generally to welding-type systems and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus of only allowing coolant flow from a coolant source to a welding-type component if the welding-type component is deemed connected to the coolant source.
It is well known that certain welding processes such as heavy-duty TIG (tungsten inert gas) welding generate considerable amount of heat during the welding process. With TIG welding, a welding component or welding torch is commonly used to hold a tungsten electrode that is heated to join metals through heat transfer. Because tungsten is a rare metallic element with an extremely high melting point (approximately 3410° C.), the electrode can withstand a tremendous heat load and use the heat to join metals with filler material. The heat generated, however, can cause the welding torch to become increasingly heated. A cooling system is typically required to prevent overheating of the torch. Generally, the welding torch is liquid-cooled with coolant, such as water, which is supplied from a coolant source remote from the power source. The welding torch may also be air cooled.
One of the drawbacks with these standard cooling systems is that the cooling system is manually operable. That is, a typical cooling system is equipped with an ON/OFF switch that requires an operator to manually turn on the cooling system at the commencement of the welding process. When the cooling system is activated, coolant is unconditionally caused to circulate through the welding torch. It can therefore be problematic if situations arise that inhibit the proper flow of coolant go unnoticed. For example, pressure variations in the cooling system may be indicative of undesirable coolant blockage. If not corrected, the temperature of the torch may quickly rise to an unacceptable level yielding torch breakdown and malfunction.
Another disadvantage of known cooling systems rests in that the operator may turn on the cooling system and cause the flow of coolant without the welding torch being connected to receive coolant. As a result, coolant flow from the coolant source to the ambient may be unrestrictive thereby causing coolant waste and added clean-up time both of which negatively affect welding efficiency.
Therefore, it would be desirable to design a cooling system that determines if a welding-type component is connected to a coolant source and only permits coolant flow if a connection is properly determined. It would be further desirable to design a system whereby cooling parameters are monitored to verify proper coolant flow.